Plymtree Pre-school

Inspection of Plymtree Pre-school Plymtree Village Hall, Cullompton, Devon EX15 2LE

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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The provision is outstanding

Children flourish at this warm and friendly pre-school. An established team of highly skilled staff places the interests and needs of each child at the centre of its curriculum. Staff plan meaningful and exciting activities for children. Staff use questions extremely well to get children to think and develop their ideas. Learning is skilfully interwoven into all aspects of the day.

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The provision is outstanding

Staff know the children extremely well. They ensure they find out plenty of information about what children know and like doing before they start at the pre- school. Staff offer settling-in sessions for children and parents. The manager notices how children 'come alive' when they hear music. Children are very happy and confident in the setting. They giggle as they take part in group activities such as parachute games to 'stretch our wriggles out', and cuddle into staff during storytelling.

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The provision is outstanding

Behaviour is exceptionally good. Children take turns and play together, for example making up stories around dinosaurs. Staff encourage children to be independent. Children enjoy helping each other to use the water pump on the portable sink to wash their hands. They use their named drawers to store special objects and get themselves ready when they choose to play outdoors.

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The provision is outstanding

Staff constantly evaluate the effectiveness of measures in the setting, including those introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, staff set up the highly effective 'snuffles station' with a mirror and pictures to help children learn how to blow their nose.

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need to do better?

n The manager holds regular meetings with staff to plan a curriculum which meets the needs of all children. All staff teach the children brilliantly. They build on children's interests, and what children know and can do, to extend all areas of learning and development. Staff regularly add other items to favourite pretend play spaces, for instance construction toys and books to the dinosaur area. n Staff use the play spaces well. They think about how to set out activities and resources to encourage children to try out new experiences, for instance adding a stage in the 'forest' area and using soap dispensers in messy play. This helps to personalise the provision for individual children's learning needs. n Staff effectively plan for children with additional needs. They focus on language development for children who speak English as an additional language and those with speech and language needs. These children make rapid progress, for

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need to do better?

example asking and answering questions during group times and joining in with singing.

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need to do better?

5 October 2022 n Staff have highly effective relationships with parents. Parents praise the setting for how well their children are looked after and the excellent communication through daily books for each child, emails and a private social media page. Children use the 'waving window' in the hall to wave goodbye to parents. Parents praise this system for helping their children to settle in the morning. n The manager ensures the key-person system is highly effective. They know their children very well and communicate effectively with parents and with external agencies. Staff build strong relationships with children and put in place strategies to help children to separate from parents, such as a 'magic unicorn', to make children feel happy. n The manager encourages staff to bring new ideas into the setting to enhance the provision. For example, to help children cope with feelings and emotions, staff encourage them to take part in yoga sessions. Children particularly enjoy

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need to do better?

using the cuddly toy 'mindful mice' to focus on their breathing and enjoy the physical element of the different poses. n The leadership and management of the setting are excellent. The manager knows her staff very well and has well-established, strong systems in place for staff development. All staff take part in both termly peer observations and supervisions to help develop their practice. n The manager evaluates the curriculum regularly. She confidently identifies areas for development in the setting and immediately puts in place strategies to address them. For example, she identified speech and language as an area for development. Staff training was put in place and the teaching of new ambitious vocabulary now takes place throughout the day. n Staff promote healthy lifestyles. Children eat food in the 'cafe' area, where they choose healthy foods for snack time. Staff provide parents with advice about

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need to do better?

healthy foods they can include in children's lunch boxes. Children learn how to keep fit during physical activities such as rugby, yoga and playing on bikes.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager makes sure staff supervise children to keep them safe. During regular staff meetings, there are safeguarding updates and an opportunity to discuss safeguarding concerns in the setting. Staff understand how to recognise signs of a range of types of abuse and can confidently say how they would refer concerns. Staff know the safeguarding policy and what they would do in the case of an allegation against a member of staff. Staff make parents aware of the need to safeguard children in the setting. Parents are asked to complete permission forms to allow their children's photos to be used on the private social media page. Parents are asked not to share photos from this outside of the group.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 106012 Local authority Devon Inspection number 10234049 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 13 Name of registered person Plymtree Pre-school Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 07928 786673 Date of previous inspection 5 December 2016

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Information about this early years setting

Plymtree Pre-school registered in 1988. It operates from the village hall in Plymtree, near Cullompton in Devon. The pre-school is open Monday and Wednesday from 9.15am to 3.15pm and Friday from 9am to 12.15pm during school term times only. The pre-school receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years. There are four members of staff. Of these, the manager holds qualified teacher status, two hold an appropriate childcare qualification at level 3 and one holds an appropriate childcare qualification at level 2.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the provider received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want their children to learn. n The inspector spoke to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector and the manager carried out a joint observation. n The inspector observed the quality of education that was being received by the children, both indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this was having on children's learning. n Children spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspector about the provision for children with special educational needs in the setting.

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Inspection activities

n Parents shared their views on the setting with the inspector.

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Inspection activities

We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage.

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Inspection activities

5 October 2022 regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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